Walking nightmare: Invasive fish that moves and breathes on land
US wildlife officials have warned the public to kill an invasive fish species that can survive on land upon contact.
The warning came after an angler caught the northern snakehead fish this month in a pond in Gwinnett County, the first time the species was found in Georgia waters.
“Thanks to the quick report by an angler, our staff was able to investigate and confirm the presence of this species in this water body,” said Matt Thomas, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division.
“We are now taking steps to determine if they have spread from this water body and, hopefully, keep it from spreading to other Georgia waters.”
Snakeheads are native to Asia. They are long, thin, have a dark brown blotchy appearance and can grow up to a metre in length. They can also breathe air and survive and move on land for a few days.
The fish is considered invasive in the state as it affects native species by competing for food and habitat.
Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources urged fishers and anglers who catch snakeheads in the area to kill it immediately, take pictures of the fish and make note of the location they were caught in, such as the waterbody, landmarks or GPS coordinates.
In some Australian states snakeheads are categorised as noxious fish, which threatens the natural environment and the biodiversity and abundance of native species.